The Foodletter Guide to Chai in Columbus
Where to find great chai in Columbus, plus local food news.
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The Foodletter Guide to Chai
By Bethia Woolf
Starbucks first introduced its chai latte in 1998, and since then chai has become an increasingly ubiquitous and, some might say, bastardized drink across U.S. coffee shops and cafes. Sadly, most chai lattes are made with flavored syrups or a pre-packaged concentrate. They are a pale imitation of a masala chai freshly brewed with tea leaves and whole spices.
The conversation around chai has only intensified since Starbucks rolled out a new chai recipe last week, sparking widespread consternation among chai latte lovers across the country. If you’ve developed a taste for spiced tea drinks, there has never been a better time to explore non-Starbucks versions in Columbus, as a proliferation of new, and dare we say, better options have arrived in recent years.
Here, we explain several chai varieties from around the globe and recommend where to find them locally.
